The MLS Overpaid

Good Friday to you all, I felt like starting the day out with this nugget that I wrote a while back. I waited around to post it due to all the trade talks this week.

We all love looking at MLS player salaries and review them. I felt like today would be a nice day to start off with reviewing the players who were paid a little too much this past season.Sometime this week or early next week I should be posting the most bang-for-their-buck players of the past season.

Here is my list of over-paid players (in no particular order):

Carlos Pavon, F, Los Angeles ($132,000/$141,500) — 18 games, 10 starts, 3 goals, 0 assists: I think most people expected Pavon to be a total bust when he came over mid-way through the summer. He never caught up with the speed of the MLS and never figured out how to get on the end of a Beckham or Donovan cross.

Claudio Reyna, M, New York ($1,000,008/$1,250,008) — 21 games, 17 starts, 0 goals, 3 assists: One of two DPs on this list. Health was an issue, apparently the coaching and management was another. Reyna never looked good in a Red Bull uniform, maybe that will change next season.

Denilson, M, Dallas ($872,736/$879,736) – 8 games, 7 starts, 1 goal (PK): May be the most over-paid to some but to say he was a bust would be putting it lightly to most Dallas fans. Look more like an expensive hood orinment than a soccer player.

Daniel Osorno, F, Colorado ($138,000/$138,000) – 3 games, 0 starts, 55 minutes: There was a reason why Dallas didn’t offer this guy a contract when they had the chance. Osorno was rather pathetic in the three games he played. The Mexican announced his retirement after the season though you could make the arguement that he did well before he came to the MLS.

Shaka Hislop, GK, FC Dallas ($220,800/$220,800) – 6 games, 6 starts, 1.50 GAA: He was on my most over-paid list to begin the season and he ends up on the list to end the year. Best thing was getting him off the books for Dallas.

Ronald Watereus, GK, New York ($200,000/$200,000) – 18 games, 18 starts, 1.79 GAA: He played well for a few games and then begin to look his age towards the middle of the summer.

Paulo Wanchope, F, Chicago ($240,000/$240,000) – 12 games, 10 starts, 2 goals: Four straight retired players on here, I would be willing to bet that the Fire are excited to get this high contract off the books for next year.

Ramon Nunez, M/F, Chivas USA ($100,000/$100,000) — 8 games, 2 starts, 0 goals, 3 assists: I was happy to see Dallas trade him away in the middle of the season. He may be the most predictable player I have ever seen.